True feelings
by Puppybaddog
Summary: Inara gets kidnapped, Kaylee gets badly injured and Malcolm gets tortured...Complete


True Feelings/Puppybaddog 

Summary: Inara gets kidnapped, Kaylee gets badly injured and Malcolm gets tortured...one-shot

Disclaimer: don't own don't sue

Chapter 1

Arriving back to Serenity Inara had a few questions in mind as she noticed an ambulance shuttle parked in the ships hull, "Okay what did I miss?" she smiled looking to Kaylee.

"Oh...well we helped Simon get River in a hospital so he could find out what happened to her...and while we were there the Captain and Zoe did a little thieving so we can get paid later...how was your check-up?" Kaylee chirped.

"Oh the usual...annoying tests and cold tables..." she smiled and followed the girl to the kitchen as everyone was eating dinner Jayne looked a bit out of it as he kept glancing over at Mal.

A few weeks later after being annoyed by the captain, Inara made her way to her shuttle to try and relax looking through her clientele Inara smiled as she listened to a few proposals hearing one that peaked her interest Inara agreed to meet with this young man...sighing as someone knocked on her door, getting up she slowly made her way to the door, rolled her eyes at the person on the other side. "What else could you possibly annoy me with now?" she sighed.

Mal pouted, as he looked a bit hurt. "Annoyed...I happen to enjoy our little conversations..." he chuckled when Inara gave a hint of a smile. "I just came to inform her highness that we should be landing in Persephone in an hour..."

"Really let me guess your staying on board this time..." she smiled.

"Oh most definitely, did you know that last time we went there I got stabbed right here?" he grinned as he lifted his shirt a little.

"Yes...I know..." she laughed.

"Zoe, Wash and Kaylee will be heading out for supplies and to refuel...well be leaving tomorrow." Mal bowed his head a bit as he took a few steps back.

"Well thank-you for telling me captain..." Inara smiled as Mal quickly turned to attend to his duties.

XxX An hour later XxX

When Inara's shuttle landed she was greeted with a shy smile "Denis Raymonds, I presume..." she smiled sweetly and curtsied a little.

"Yes, it is an honor to meet you miss Serra...first of all I would like to apologize, I assure you I really had no choice..."

Inara looked at him a bit confused, "Apologize...no choice for what?" she asked taking a step back.

Denis tilted his head to the left as someone approached him, Inara gasped when she recognized who that someone was. "Well now baobei it's been a while..." Atherton Wing grinned wickedly as he entered Inara's shuttle and sealed the door shut.

XxXxX

As Serenity landed Zoe, Wash and Kaylee made their way through the crowds, it hadn't been more then twenty minutes after they had landed that Zoe noticed that they were being followed, "Wash honey..." she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head against his cheek, "We're being followed find Kaylee and bring her back to the ship..."

Wash quickly kissed his wife's cheek and headed where he had last seen her, while Zoe pretended to admire a scarf from one of the vendors nearby, fingering the material as she kept an eye on who was following them, thinking that it was another spy like the one who had shot Kaylee. The man just stood next to a crate his arms crossed and watched her, hearing a few people arguing he turned his head at the group of drunks then back at Zoe who was gone, standing up straight he searched the crowd with his eyes then suddenly found himself unconscious as Zoe kicked him in the gut, then hit him in the back of the head, kicking him again for good measure Zoe ran after her husband.

Kaylee had been looking through some vegetables picking the best ones from the piles, when she suddenly felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder, turning she looked at the man a bit confused, "You from Serenity right?" the man asked with a smirk taking out a gun from behind him he aimed it at her stomach then forcefully pulled her into an alley, where he backhanded her. Kaylee cried out as she hit the wall, slowly turning her head her eyes went wide when the man punched her in the face then in the chest, pulling her up he forced her to look at him, "Don't worry your crew will be going through the same thing..." he smirked as he ran his tongue on her cheek, whimpering Kaylee could feel his hands as he was lifting her shirt leaning forward Kaylee lifted her leg and kneed the bastard, groaning his hands went to his crotch, Kaylee stumbled as she tried to get out of the alley.

"KAYLEE..." she heard someone yell out, she tried to scream out but found that her voice wouldn't work. "Kaylee..." she heard again and felt a gentle hand on her arm Wash slowly turned her around and gasped at the bruises on her face, swearing in Chinese Wash looked around seeing a man who tried to stand holding onto his genitals. "You son of a bitch..." he growled as he stood up and made his way to him, at that moment Zoe arrived and saw her husband beating some man senseless.

"Kaylee..." she whispered as she helped the girl sit up, "WASH..." she yelled hearing him approach her, "Come on we have to get her to Simon..." Wash kneeled down and lifted Kaylee in his arms while Zoe went to the asshole forcing him to get on his feet she proceeded to drag the bastard back to Serenity...no one treated a member of her crew like this without paying a heavy price.

When they arrived on Serenity Jayne frowned when he saw Wash carry Kaylee to the infirmary, "What happened?" he asked curiously.

"Tie this bastard up he did that to Kaylee..." Zoe hissed as she pushed the man roughly to the ground, Jayne smirked as he looked at the man who was now on his knees.

"Ohhh your mine to torture..." he grinned, "You and me are gonna have us some fun..." he chuckled as he pulled the man on his feet.

Hearing the commotion Malcolm made his way down from the cockpit, "What happened he asked as he spotted Jayne with some guy.

"This piece of trash hurt our mechanic..." Jayne grinned knowing how much she meant to him and the others, "Want me ta kill him real slow like?"

"Not yet..." Mal growled as he made his way to the infirmary. "Kaylee?" he whispered rage could be seen in his eyes as he saw the bruises that adorned her face, blood trickling from a gash on her forehead. Mal looked to Zoe for an explanation.

"Noticed we were being followed, found her crawling out of an alley..."

"H-he ha-d a gu-n..." Kaylee choked out, "As-ke-d if-I was fro-m Se-ren-i-ty." Simon tried to get her to calm down a bit, but she refused to stop, "Said my c-rew wou-ld be goi-ng th-rou-gh the sa-me thi-ng..."

Mal looked to Zoe, "Tell Jayne ta find out anything and everything the bastard knows..."

"Yes sir..." she quickly left the infirmary.

Mal watched as Simon helped Kaylee lie down, and gave her a sedative so he could work, "I'll be right back I need to get something from my room..." Simon waited until Mal nodded his head then rushed out leaving the room for a few minutes.

Mal took a few steps forward taking her hand in his, "How ya doing little Kaylee?" he whispered.

Kaylee slowly opened her eyes, "Hiy-a Cap-tain..." she whispered in turn. "Don't wor-ry a-bout me, I'll b-e fine I got Sim-on to care f-or me..." she gave him a small grin "...he's a doc-tor you know..." she whispered again with a smile. Mal cringed at how much she tried to hide the pain she must be feeling, leaning down he rested his lips on her forehead and ran his hand in her hair, he always thought of her like a little sister, he was going to make that bastard pay.

Hearing Simon enter, Mal stepped back giving Kaylee a small smile, then went back to find Wash. "Call back Inara, I don't care if she's with a gorram client, if they were looking for the Serenity crew that means there after her as well I want her back here now..."

"You got it Cap'n..." Wash rushed up to the cockpit.

Jayne came out from the room where they had the man tied up in. "Sorry Cap'n he ain't talking much, only said that he and a few others was paid a lot of money ta hunt us down...also whoever's payin him got him pretty damn scared..."

Malcolm was in deep thought when Wash called out from above, "I can't get a hold of her Mal...but I got a location of her shuttle...it ain't far from here..."

"Jayne stay here with the bastard see if ya can find out anything else, don't care much how ya do it...Zoe you come with me..." Malcolm ordered as he and Zoe rushed out of Serenity. When the two arrived at Inara's shuttle Mal found himself face to face with one Denis Raymonds, looking around he tilted his head in question then grabbing Raymonds by the jacket slammed him against a wall, "Where's Inara?" he growled.

Zoe stayed by the door keeping an eye out as she heard them talk, "Atherton forced me to I had no choice..." Denis whimpered as he now found a gun pointed at his head

"I'm gonna say this again nice and slow...Where-is-Inara?" Mal hissed as he cocked the hammer on his gun.

Zoe frowned when she saw movement and suddenly felt a small pain on her neck, reaching for her neck she pulled out a small dart, Zoe stared at it for what seemed like the longest time before she spoke, "Captain?" she stumbled back turning to look at him, Mal was still threatening Denis. "CAPTAIN!" she called out again.

"What?" Mal growled as he turned to her then frowned, "Zo..." he looked at her then suddenly felt something prick his neck, looking down he stared at Denis who had a dart in hand which he had just stabbed in the Captain's neck. Mal then heard a thump as Zoe fell to the ground paralyzed, Denis pushed Mal off him and watched as he fell to the ground as well.

"As I said sir, I'm sorry...I had no choice...Atherton Wing has my daughter I hope you can forgive me..." Denis whispered. As he looked up at the man who had drugged Zoe, nodding his head he and the man left the shuttle. Not being able to move or speak Mal and Zoe could still see and hear after a few moments which seemed like hours had passed, four men entered the shuttle. Zoe watched as they picked up her captain and carried him out leaving her behind.

Malcolm tried to get his limbs to start moving but with no such luck, Mal then found himself dropped to the floor of another shuttle. "Afternoon Captain Reynolds, nice to see you again..." Atherton grinned as he looked to an unconscious Inara lying on a small bench, "We've been waiting for you Inara and I..." he whispered as he kneeled beside the paralyzed captain.

"Yes Mister Reynolds...like the man said we've been waiting for you..." Mal heard as he spotted someone in the shadows he recognized that excited chuckle. "You have no idea...how long we have been waiting..." the man approached Mal's eyes went wide. Niska grinned as he approached, "Now we can get to know each other a little better...I wish to meet the real you mister Reynolds..." Niska smiled evilly.

Inara woke up groggily as she slowly turned her head, 'Where am I?' she thought as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around she gasped when she spotted Malcolm strapped to a table as she slowly stood she was immediately pushed back as a pair of arms were wrapped around her waist.

"You stay put girl..." Niska grinned as he patted Malcolm's cheeks to get him to wake up, "We will get to you later...after I've had my fun with Mister Reynolds here..." he sighed, "That is if I can get him to wake up..." he chuckled.

XxXxX

Meanwhile after Jayne figured it was taking too long, he and Book went after them, finding Zoe on the shuttle floor with no Mal in sight they figured they had been ambushed or something, Jayne went to the cockpit and flew the shuttle back to Serenity, Book carried Zoe all the way to the infirmary where Simon started to examine her. "She's been drugged...she'll stay paralyzed until the drug's run it's course..."

"For how long?" Book asked.

Simon looked up, "At least half an hour..." he answered as he checked her vitals.

Half an hour later, Zoe could move her arms, "Cap'n was taken by Niska's men..." she hissed as she tried to sit up, "Inara too..."

"Why would Niska want Inara?" Book asked.

"He didn't...some guy named Atherton Wing did..."

"We have to save 'em..." they heard turning to Kaylee.

"Wash get us airborne..." Zoe ordered as she forced her legs over the side of the table.

XxXxX

Inara was still a bit dazed as she looked straight, 'Atherton has kidnapped us...' she thought to herself suddenly remembering Malcolm's words that night as she tutored him in handling a sword for his duel with Atherton.

XxX Flashback XxX

"Don't take his offer..." he sighed suddenly regretting speaking up. When Inara looked at him, Malcolm quickly looked away.

"What?" she asked a bit confused.

Still refusing to look her in her eyes Mal continued, "Don't do it...Just in the case that it happens that means that he's the fellow who killed me...and I don't like fellows who kill me...not in general...I said before that I don't have the call to stop you and that's true." He finished taking a chance he glanced up gazing at her chestnut colored eyes then looked back down pretending to examine his sword, "Anyways don't..." he finished.

Inara was so speechless as he spoke those words, 'Why would he say things like that?' she thought to herself suddenly feeling awkward with the sudden silence Inara looked away trying to control her breathing then made up an excuse to leave, she knew how well Atherton could fight with a sword and suddenly feared for Mal's life.

XxX End Flashback XxX

Suddenly broken from her thoughts as she heard Malcolm scream out in pain, her heart skipped a beat as tears began to stream down her cheeks, "No..." she whispered.

"Yes..." Atherton hissed as he leaned down to her ear. "You know you're to blame for this..." he grinned, "It's your fault he's suffering...if you had chosen me instead of him you both wouldn't be stuck in this mess..."

"Actually mister Wing, mister Reynolds here backed away from a job that I had hired him for, this is more about reputation than your little tiff with the woman..." Niska chuckled as he turned his attention back to the Captain giving his subordinate a very sharp looking knife.

Malcolm glared at the knife wielding bastard that approached him with an evil grin he slowly started to pierce the knife in Malcolm's chest, biting his lip to hold back a scream Mal started to shake violently, then suddenly they heard an explosion beyond the doors, Niska's torturer stopped what he was doing and turned to the old fool, "Ack always with the interruptions..." Niska growled as he ordered his torturer to go find out what the hell was going on, the moment the doors where opened a blast pushed them all to the ground. Shielded from the force since they were leaning against the side of the door Inara who was still being held by Atherton, quickly turned in his embrace and punched him in the face rushing to Mal, Inara desperately tried to wake him as she pulled on the electrodes attached to his body, "Mal, Mal please wake up..." she cried as she cradled his head to her chest breathing a small sigh of relief when he started to cough and moved his head.

Mal slowly opened his eyes, "'nara?" he groaned thinking that he was dreaming.

"Oh Mal thank God..." she whispered and kissed his lips lightly, "We have to get out of here..."

Malcolm slowly looked around, Niska had run off somewhere, Atherton was unconscious on the floor and the torturer had been badly burned from the blast. "Yeah no kiddin...can ya help me up..." he croaked as Inara gently pulled on his arm to help him sit up, putting most of his weight on her since he could hardly walk Inara led him out of the room, but Mal couldn't help kicking Atherton in the face as they left looking at the disapproving look plastered on the companion's face Mal looked at her, "What...he deserved it..." he groaned as she shook her head a hint of a smile graced her lips as she pulled him forward.

Inara glanced at Mal and winced at the blood as it trickled down his face and chest, holding him up Inara slowly led the limping Captain down a hall away from the smoldering room, not knowing that Serenity's crew was on their way to them this very moment. Slowly walking down the narrow hall Mal could hear blood curdling screams and people yelling from behind, sounding like the ship was being attacked by reavers the two stopped for only a moment, "I think we need ta hurry..." he groaned as he tried to walk a bit faster entering an empty room Mal couldn't take it anymore and collapsed to the floor, Inara falling with him.

"Mal we have to keep going..." she tried to coax him back up, but he refused to move, "Alright we can rest a bit..." she whispered as she pillowed his head in her lap Malcolm was getting worse his breathing was slow and shallow he was still bleeding rather heavily from his wounds, biting her lip to stifle a cry Inara leaned down to his ear, "Mal you have to keep your eyes open..." she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair which was streaked with blood.

Slowly opening his eyes at the feel of her caresses Malcolm tried to lighten the mood as he looked at her but instead of speaking in his cute sarcastic manner he started to cough violently, Inara sat him up and patted him on the back gasping as he had coughed up blood, she leaned against the wall resting his back on her chest as he tried to breathe running her right hand up and down his chest to try and get him to breathe better, "Sorry I ruined your dress..." he whispered.

"What?" she frowned as she looked at herself her dress was covered in his blood, "How could you think of such a thing at a time like this?" she scolded.

"Well what else is there ta think about...rather think about you then all this pain I'm feelin..." he groaned as he tried to stay conscious, forcing his eyes to stay open. He also didn't want to think about the reavers as they killed off everyone in their path but he didn't want to worry her about that, even though there weren't reavers on the ship but he didn't know that.

"Mal you're delusional..." she huffed as she ripped up her sleeve and pressed it against his wound to try and stop the bleeding.

"Ya know 'nara...I always kn-ew that you h-ad..." Mal groaned out as a wave of pain coursed through his body. Inara held him tightly as she leaned her cheek next to his. "Kissed me when Sa-ffron had take-n over the ship..." he coughed breathing heavily. "I heard ya ca-llin' my name...Was just too...I mean I did-n't want ya ta k-now that I kn-ew...and that I..." he paused. "Does th-at soun-d con-fus-ing to ya?" he chuckled softly as he started gasping for breath, then leaned his head back and slowly closed his eyes.

Inara closed her eyes, not believing what was happening, Mal was actually dying in her arms, "Mal...no you have to stay awake..." she shook him a little Mal whined out he felt so tired.

"I..." he looked at himself, "Hey did ya kn-ow I was ble-eding?" he looked around, "What the he-ll hap-pened?" he gasped out and took a deep breath, looking in her eyes, "Um...'nara...I don't th-ink I'm..." suddenly Mal's breathing stopped and he slowly started to fall.

Inara started to panic as she gently laid him down, "Mal...Mal nonono Mal you have to wake up..." she screamed as she now hovered over him, tilting his head back she breathed air into his lungs. "Please you can't leave me Mal...I never told you..." she cried. As she breathed into him again, caressing his cheeks as her tears fell down on them.

"INARA...CAPTAIN..." she heard.

Inara looked up, thinking she had imagined it, then breathed into Malcolm again. "INARA...CAPTAIN..."

"Zo...ZOE..." she yelled back quickly getting up and opening the door spotting the woman, "In here hurry...Malcolm's dying..." she rushed back inside to the captain's side. Zoe, Book and Simon rushed in while Jayne and Wash stood watch at the door.

XxXxX

Malcolm groaned wishing the voices in his head would just shut-up, they kept overlapping over each other he heard Atherton's, Niska's, Zoe's and a few others but he could hear Inara's word more clearly than the others. _Oh Mal thank God...we have to get out of here...we have to keep going...Mal you're delusional...you have to stay awake...Mal...Please you can't leave me Mal...I never told you..._ Malcolm's eyes suddenly snapped open then quickly closed as he was blinded by the light.

Mal looked around the room which seemed empty then spotted Inara who was sitting beside him and gave her a small smile, "Hey...um are we alive?" he smirked.

Inara stood and lifted the blanket to cover him completely since she felt a bit chili she figured he was as well, "Yes we're very much alive thanks to Zoe and the others..." Malcolm chuckled softly when she looked like she was going to sit down, Malcolm quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

"So I take it what with the torture and all that I wasn't dreamin' then?"

Inara looked at him a bit confused, "No I'm sorry to say you weren't...Should I get Simon?" she asked.

"No..." he whispered, then pulled her forward, "Ya know I may be steppin over the line here but I'm willing ta take that chance." He looked at her confused look, "...I heard ya clear as day in dat dark room we stayed in...you said ya never told me somethin'...what exactly didn't ya tell me..." he asked looking down, then locked eyes with her.

Inara's eyes went wide as she quickly looked at his hand, "I...you were dying Mal...it scared me..." she whispered.

Malcolm snorted, "Why is it so hard for two grown adults to admit their feelings for each other..." he chuckled slowly running his thumb on her wrist.

"Mal...I..."

"I love you...I just hadn't had the courage to admit it..." he whispered his eyes feeling extremely heavy, Inara looked at him she was totally speechless she opened her mouth but nothing would come out, she felt the same way. Shaking her head a few tears ran down her cheeks she leaned down and molded her lips to his giving him a soft kiss.

"You need to rest...we'll talk later okay?" she whispered as she gently pushed him back down.

"Nuh-uh...you're not getting off that easy..." Malcolm blinked trying to fight off the drugs coursing through his system.

Inara smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, "Are you going to start to argue with me Captain Reynolds?"

"I will...until ya answer my questions..." he smirked slowly shaking his head.

"If I tell you will you promise me you'll sleep?" she whispered.

"Ab-solutely..."

Inara leaned down to his ear, "I love you too..." she whispered then looked at his eyes, clearly you could see that he was content in hearing her words but had a little trouble believing them, resting her forehead against his she kissed him softly, Mal returned the kiss and was a bit surprised when Inara deepened it. When the kiss ended Inara then laid a hand against his temple caressing him, and stayed with him until the drugs forced him to pass out.

Simon entered the infirmary with a questioning look on his face, "I...am I interrupting anything?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

Inara smiled and slowly left the room without saying a word, she actually felt better in telling Malcolm her true feelings for him, she had no idea how or where the path she had chosen would lead her but the thought of having Serenity's captain kiss her again plagued her dreams that night, when he'd wake up she was sure that their little voyage through space was going to be a little more interesting now.

The End...

Good, Bad, Sucks?


End file.
